1844 $10 AU55 PCGS. Only 6,361 pieces were struck of the
1844 Ten Dollar. This low mintage gives one a good indicator of its
rarity, but it is only part of the reason so few high grade
examples are known today. The years from 1838 through 1844 were
years of unemployment and starvation. As a result, gold coins of
this era were generally not set aside for long as they represented
so much in terms of purchasing power at the time. The 1844 is
considered "prohibitively rare" in XF by Breen. Only a couple of
coins are known in mint condition and AU pieces are of the greatest
rarity and importance. This piece shows bright green-gold surfaces
with a slight overlay of reddish patina. Similar to the Warren
Miller AU50 coin we sold more than five years ago, this piece also
has planchet depressions that radiate outward from the figure of
Liberty and approach stars 2 and 12. An angling mark below the
eagle's beak is noteworthy for pedigree purposes. (NGC ID# 262S, PCGS# 8590)